The IOA's bid to host the IOC Session had got the support of the Sports Ministry but it is now learnt that the National Capital Region's offer found few takers within the world sports apex body.

Indian Olympics Association logo. (Getty Images)

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New Delhi: India has lost its bid to host the 132nd Session of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) in 2019 even as the Italian city of Milan emerged as the front-runner to organise the prestigious event.

The IOA's bid to host the IOC Session had got the support of the Sports Ministry but it is now learnt that the National Capital Region's offer found few takers within the world sports apex body.

"We (IOA) made a bid to host the 2019 IOC Session and we got the approval from the government. It is for the IOC to chose the host city from among the bidders. It is now certain India is not going to host the event," IOA secretary general Rajeev Mehta said.

"If the Prime Minister's Office wants, we can bid for the IOC Session in 2021," he added.

India has earlier hosted an IOC Session in 1983 in New Delhi.

Meanwhile, according to reports, Milan is set to be named as host city of the 2019 IOC Session. The announcement will be made at this year's Session in Lima, Peru, to be held between September 13 and 17.

Reports say that Budapest, Krakow (Poland), Brussels and Istanbul had also expressed interest to stage the 2019 IOC Session, during which the host cities of 2026 Winter Olympics and 2025 Winter Youth Olympics will be announced.

An IOC Session is a prestigious event, next only to the Olympic Congress in importance. It is the general meeting of the 206 National Olympic Committees of the IOC and is its supreme organ. A Session can adopt, modify and interpret the Olympic Charter and its decisions are final.

An IOC Session can elect the host city of the Olympic Games, seven years before they are held. IOC president, vice-presidents, other members of the Executive Board and IOC members are elected in IOC Sessions.

An IOC Session is held at least once a year, often over a two or three-day period. In the years when Olympic Games take place, the Session traditionally precedes them.